Planned Parenthood set to open 2nd location in Memphis

Planned Parenthood is set to open a new location in Memphis with funding from the Now Campaign.

“We simply cannot meet the demand of reproductive health services in our community here. So we know we need a second location to help to do that,” vice president of external affairs Aimee Lewis said.

Lewis said the massive fundraising campaign brought in $9.8 million to the organization, and they are set to have a total of $12 million raised.

The purpose for the money is to build a new facility, hire more staff, increase education about sexual health, and offer more services—including abortions.

“It is incredibly important,” Lewis said. “Reproductive healthcare and sexual health education impacts so much of what we do and our lives. It impacts our opportunity day to day, educational, economic, our physical health is at play there."

Lewis said $4.5 million will go towards the second facility. The location has not been decided yet.

Although many support the expansion, Sue Parker, the CEO of Life Choices, said she believes the money is better off elsewhere.

"I think, you know, funding from the public sector to go to Planned Parenthood is not the best use of that money,” Parker said.

Parker’s group works to keep women from choosing abortions.

While another Planned Parenthood clinic means more of the procedures will be performed in Memphis, Parker said this will not stop or hinder their efforts at promoting pro-life decisions.

“It's not going to impact what we do,” she said. “It's not going to change the way we do our services. We see about 2,000 women a year for pregnancy testing."